Filmmakers Guide

What do filmmakers have in common?

passion, focus, commitment and resiliency.
and talent?
(Jacques Thelemaque, Withoutabox)



Which of these do you think you have?

Which might you have to develop?

Write about what you know, what you are passionate about.

Consider Todorov's theory of storytelling.

Equilibrium, disequilibrium, resolution.


What is the pattern of narrative? All stories benefit from structure for audiences to create meaning and understanding.

Consider Vogler's theory of 12 stage journey for a hero. For a short film, these 8 points may help give you structure.

1. Introduce main character, set the scene
2. Give them a problem, obstacle, obsession or addiction.
3. Let the character work out a plan to overcome the problem.
4. Have a moment of doubt before they set out, they may have encouragement from a mentor figure.
5. With a new resolve (and sometimes a magical gift e.g., Ruby Slippers or James Bond's gadgets) they set off
6. Next comes extreme opposition, a battle.
7. They appear to be failing but with a superhuman effort, recover themselves.
8. They win the final battle, they return to their natural self, wiser, stronger, cured and with a renewed self awareness.

Use your focus group,

'Listen carefully to first criticisms of your work. Note just what it is about your work the critics don't like, then cultivate it. Thats the part of your work thats individual and worth keeping'
Jean Cocteau